The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1887-11-19
THANKSGIVING.

giving Day, and we can use on
pencil on no better object than q
employing it in amplifying the sub
ject, inasmuch as the Day will b.
celebrated throughout the Union
1t has been three or four year
since we explained the origin o
Thanksgiving Day, and the ques
tion being asked us so often since
we will again present it.
The practice of setting aside {
certain week day as o day O
Thanksgiving is older than the Gov
ernment, indeed almost as old as
civilization on our Continent, il
dating back to 1921. The most
reliable history informs us that the
year after the Pilgrim Fathers
reached Plymouth Rock, (the date
Of their landing was December
DIST. 1920 they had, as the Pill
grims' sons, located on or about
the same Rock, have ever since
had, short crops. They had been
expecting supplies from across the
ocean for menths, and had become
nearly blind in strainiNg their op
tics to catch sight Of incoming sails.
Finally, starvation seemed to stare
them in the face, and the Chief. or
Governor, as he was called, issued
a proclamation designating a day
OF fasting and prayer, on which
occasion all were to bow submis-
sively to Gods will. The day be-
fore the solemn service, a ship ar
rived, laden with provisions, where
upon the Governor promulgated a
substitute for his original procla-
ton, ordering tina: the day origi-
nally fixed upon should be obser-
we'd as one of Thanksgiving to Al
mighty God for the timely succor
He had vouchsated them, and the
dav was accordingly observed as
one OF prayer and feasting. So,
let popular opinion hold the Pill
grim Fathers in high or low es-
TEEN, all must give them credit
for establishing practice which
has grown in favor from the date
of it's Inauguration to the present
day.
y X
In one of onr old files we find
the following, which we extract
for this reading
Perhaps the original proclama-
tion Of Thanksgiving-at least the
first that is found in printed form
is one issued by his Excellency, |
Francis Bernard, Captain General
and Governor-in-Chlef in and over
his Majesty's province of Massa-
chusetts Bay, in New England,
and Admiral of the same in 1867. |
1t reads AS follows:
AS the business of the year is
now drawing towards a conclusion,
we are reminded, cording to the
Iaudable Usage of this Province,
to Join together in grateful Ack-
lowledgement OF the manifold
Mercies OF the Divine Providence !
upon Us in the passing
\ eur; Wherefore, | have thought
it to appoint, and do with the ad-
vice Of Ills Majesty's Council, ap7
,oiut Thursday, the Third Day Of
December next, to be a day OF
Jublc THANKSGIVING, that we may
hereup)n with one heart and
'oire return our most humble
Thanks to Almighty God for the
yracious Dlspenations OF Provi-
ience since the last religious An
liversary of this kind, and espec;-
lily tor that He has been pleased
o preserve and maintain our gra-
lions Sovereign, King George in
.lealth and Wealth and Peace and
Ionor: and to extend the Bless
ngs of his Government to the re-
hottest part of the Dominions ;
hat He has been pleased to bless
md preserve our gracious Queen
Charlotte, their Royal Highnesses
he Prince of Wales, the Prince
)owager of Wales, and all the
Royal Family and by frequent in
..,oo,o -, tbo POyol ;ooua to osouro